Asian Art Biennale begins in September

The 18th edition of the Asian Art Biannale, an international art exhibition that Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy has been organising in the alternative years since 1981, will continue from September 1 to September 30 at the National Art Gallery.

Though the previous editions of the exhibition used to be organised in December, this year it starts in September for the upcoming National Elections, which is to be held any day from October to January, Shilpakala Academy officials said.

The local artists can apply for participating in the biennale till June 10 while the foreign artists can apply till June 30, reads the official website of the biennale.

From the local applicants, a selection committee will select the participants, while the foreign participants will need not to go through any selection process, the officials said.

So far the academy received 250 applications from local artists while 48 foreign artists from 32 countries confirmed their participations.

Eight artists from same number of countries have also expressed their interest to participate in the biennale, the officials said.

Highest number of applicants is from India. Artists from Pakistan, Sri Lanka, China, Iran, Turkey, Palestine, Germany, UK, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, USA, Argentina and others are participating at the biennale.

Artworks of selected local and foreign artists will be considered for three grand prizes and six honourable mention awards.

A separate jury board, comprised by artists, curators and critics from different countries, will select the winners.

Each of the grand prize winners will receive Tk 500,000, a crests and a certificate while each of the honourable mention awards winners will get Tk 300,000, a crests and a certificate.

The awards will be handed over on the opening ceremony of the biennale scheduled to be held on September 1 at the National Theatre Hall auditorium of Bangladesh Shilpakalala Academy.

The Asian Art Biennale, the oldest international art biennale in Asia, was initially organised in 1981 with the objective to explore Asian contemporary art.

But, over the years, its coverage has been extended. Now artists from all across the globe participate in the biennale with their latest works on diverse mediums.